King For A Day

The Grendal of Christmas Present hopes you all have had a wonderful holiday season and will join in the Twelfth Night festivities. The date of Epiphany can vary, if you are going by certain liturgical calenders, but I am just counting straight from Christmas Day for my celebrations. Anyway, today or tomorrow is the date to have all holiday decorations removed from the house and general cleaning done.
Twelfth Night is a time of parties and celebration and many people wait until this night to give gifts, as this is the date generally associated with the Magi visiting the Christ child and presenting the gifts to Him. A 'King's cake' is often baked and decorated lavishly and a coin or bean is slipped into the cake at some point. Some divide the cake into as many pieces as they have guests and some bake it in. Anyway, whoever gets the token is proclaimed King for the day and gets to bless the house.
For the blessing you should have incense or sprigs of dried sage and juniper to burn and a small container of spring water, none of that chlorinated crap. You go to each room of the house with the items, sprinkling the water and saying a simple blessing, such as "Bless all who dwell within this house".
Since Grendal is pretty much Queen of Everyday around here, she extends her blessings to all of you and wishes you all a wonderful 2010. Though times are tough for many people right now, may these trials show us all what is really important in life and help us to hold them closer.


*Green Day